Palm to Apple: We’re not sweating any potential legal threat

Palm doesn’t seem to be worrying about any possible legal action from Apple over its new handset, the Palm Pre due out sometime in the first half of this year.

Despite a general word of warning issued by Apple COO Tim Cook Wednesday about not sitting by while its intellectual property is “ripped off” by competitors, Palm said it’s not troubled by the talk, which many have suggested was aimed squarely at it. Cook added, “We’ll use whatever weapons that we have at our disposal.”

Palm spokesperson Lynn Fox told All Things Digital’s John Paczkowski, “Palm has a long history of innovation that is reflected in our products and robust patent portfolio and we have long been recognized for our fundamental patents in the mobile space,” she said. “If faced with legal action, we are confident that we have the tools necessary to defend ourselves.”

The issue comes down to whether the Pre’s interface, which uses some of the same multi-touch stuff that Apple said it has patented, is too close to the iPhone’s system. The multi-touch is similar at times but the Pre is also more than a slick rip-off. It’s got its own thoughtful additions that go beyond straight mimicry.

Palm’s executive chairman Jon Rubinstein used to be Apple’s head of hardware engineering so while he is familiar with the way Apple makes stuff, he also knows that he would have to steer clear of Apple’s IP.

You have to wonder how things will progress from here. Apple may just be talking tough right now and waiting to act until the release of the Palm, when it can tell for certain if it has a case. It’s clear this issue is on Apple’s mind. Cook’s remarks during the earnings call seemed to be a calculated move rather than an off-the-cuff line.

Here’s hoping this doesn’t turn into a major legal slug fest because although Palm says it’s ready for one, the last thing it needs is a legal threat to its savior device and new webOS operating system.